


24 hours at the Barns

by cinder_sage



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Adam Parrish wants Ronan to talk, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Ronan Lynch Loves Adam Parrish, Ronan Lynch is Bad at Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-23 21:52:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12517360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinder_sage/pseuds/cinder_sage
Summary: A normal day at the Barns.





	1. Chapter 1

 

_**7 AM** _

Adam groaned as sunlight hit his face and he buried his head further into the pillow. His neck muscles contracted and his eyes shot open, his mouth gasping in pain. His neck cramps were horrible this morning. He needed to buy fluffier pillows for his bed at the Barns.  Now that he did not have to worry about tuition money (he had full ride), he occasionally pampered himself (Gansey insisted) - buying expensive breakfasts (Ronan generally cooked), an occasional star bucks (he hated it but Ronan insisted on the aesthetics) and a good phone plan to talk to his farmer boyfriend.

 He added buying pillows along with buying a razor for Ronan and getting the main bathroom’s faucet checked by a plumber to his mental to do list. One would think that Ronan was as dedicated to taking care of the indoors as he was of taking care of the god damned sleeping dream cows. Alas, his farmer softie had a limit to his domesticity. It did not extend to going to the supermarket to actually shop and not almost kill Opal on a trolley. Speaking of whom –

“Close the curtains Opal.” Adam said, his voice muffled by the pillow. There was no change in the state of the curtains. “Ronan, tell her to close the curtains.” Adam’s hand reached out to shake Ronan awake. His hand met empty sheets. Cursing, Adam put on his glasses (the courtesy of college) and looked around.

“Opal. Where’s Ronan?” Adam asked, his hand rubbing his temple.

“Feeding the cows.” A curt replied came from a flushed and pouting Opal. Adam sighed. _Fuck the cows._

“What’s wrong?’  Adam asked, walking towards Opal. Opal lunged at him and Adam picked her up. She immediately put her legs behind his back and buried her face in his neck. Adam stumbled.

“Kerah yelled at me. I was gardening and Kerah came out looking all angry and yelled at me for eating twigs.”

“Were you? Eating twigs?”

“NO. he wouldn’t let me explain. I hate him, Adam. I hate him!” Adam sighed again. This was the fourth time this week that Ronan had yelled at Opal. Something was bothering him, _obviously._ He would have had no idea how to deal with it, _obviously._ He was taking it out on Opal and on the kitchen cabinets, _obviously._

Adam put Opal down and asked her to go complete her school work while he went and had a talk with Ronan.

_So much for sleeping in._

  The hard thuds and the string of curses should have been a warning, really, but Adam with just as much thought as he had put into sacrificing his eyes and hands to Cabeswater, made his way to the tattooed beast.

Putting a hand on Ronan’s back and stilling him, Adam said, “Why didn’t you let Opal explain?” Ronan growled, literally _growled,_ as he said, “Good morning to you too Parrish.”Adam sighed. He knew Ronan was wound up about something, he was not stupid, but asking Ronan to actually talk about his feelings was as useless as asking these fucking cows to wake up. He often ignored Ronan when he was like this, tensed and eager for a fight. He waited for him to cool down so that later, he could use the dark of the night and his lips to coax words out of him. But it had been 5 days and far from cooling down, Ronan had not come to bed the same time as him even once. His break was only two weeks long and with a week already gone with Ronan acting like an idiot; Adam knew it was time to push.

“Ronan. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Parrish. Don’t get your knickers in a twist.” Ronan said, using his tank to wipe his forehead of sweat. Adam gulped.

“I am going to keep staring at you and I am going to wait here until you tell me exactly what the hell is wrong with you.” Adam said using the same tone and the same words as he used with Opal (except the hell). Ronan shrugged and Adam felt anger spike through him.

“I am here for only two weeks. If you’re going to keep acting like a jerk please do tell, I might go back and make some cash over the holidays.” Adam could feel a fight approaching.

“I know you’re only here for two weeks and as you can see, I couldn’t care less.” Ronan still didn’t look up from where he was ploughing a particular patch of field.

“Fine, then. I am going to leave the first thing tomorrow, _since you couldn’t care less._ But this is not about me. This is about Opal. This is not how you treat a child. If this is how you’re going to treat her because something’s up with you, I will take her with me.”

At this Ronan looked up, surprise, hurt and anger painted in a twisted combination across his face.

“What did you say?” Ronan asked, his voice very clear and his vowels precise.

“I. will. take. Her. with. Me.” Adam said, hands in a fist and anger coursing through his veins.

“Do you think I fucking enjoy yelling at her? The first time I yelled at her was because she has gotten into a habit of breaking plates when asked to help with the dishes. So when you asked her to help, I had to yell at her to go to her room because she already had a fucking plate in her hand. The second time was because you were having a bath and she had opened your computer and was fucking fiddling with it. She could’ve deleted something and so I asked her to put it down only for her to fucking scream and threaten to throw it on the ground.” Ronan’s volume was ascending, “the third time was because she was running around the shed without a jacket and it was fucking freezing outside and today was because SHE WAS EATING TWIGS. SHE LIES.” Ronan finished, a vein throbbing in his forehead.

Adam opened his mouth and closed it, seemingly at a loss of words. He finally came up with, “ I didn’t know.”

Ronan let out a curt laugh. “Of course you didn’t. It’s not like you’re present in her life. As you said you’re here for two weeks. So don’t you dare threaten to take MY child away.”

 Adam flinched. _MY child not OUR child._

Ronan threw down the farm equipment, made his way inside the house, grabbed his keys and before Adam could process, speeded away in his charcoal BMW.

 

As soon as Adam entered the house, he was tackled by a wailing and red faced Opal, asking to be picked up. Not in a mood to fight another lynch, Adam obliged. Opal burrowed her face in Adam’s neck and let out loud sobs. Adam flinched, it was his hearing ear, however it seemed  not for long now.

Adam asked Opal, “What’s wrong honey?” Opal sniffled and burrowed her face further into his shoulder.

“Haven’t we talked about using your words?” Adam asked gently.

“Don’t go. Kerah doesn’t mean it.” Opal mumbles, another sob breaking lose.

“I am not going anywhere. I promise. Were you eating twigs Opal?” Adam asks carefully.

Opal cries harder and Adam sighs, telling her not to do it again.

 

**_7 PM_ **

Adam looks and the clock and blinks back tears.  He’s been through hell and back. He has been abused, beaten and made a joke of. He has gone to bed without food in the stomach and with scars purpling on his skin. He has seen his best friend die and has been forced to strangle the boy he loves. And yet.

Ronan’s phone is lying in the corner of the sofa, were he had put it three days ago. He has not yet come back and the food Adam ordered and the apology on his tongue are going cold.  he does not want to be the reason Ronan goes back to drinks and races or _Kavinsky_. Even thinking about it makes his eyes water and his mouth go bitter.

Opal is sitting across him as they continue playing monopoly.

“ADAM!!! IT’S YOUR TURN.” Opal screeches, pulling Adam’s hand. Adam throws a curt smile towards her and rolls the dice.

“What’s wrong _pater?”_ Opal asks blushing. Adam suddenly looks up at her. She just called him –

“What did you call me?” Adam asks, tears pooling in his eyes at an alarmingly fast rate. He tries to blink them away.

“ _Pater_.” _Father_.

Adam lets out a sob. Opal rushes to his side and wraps her tiny arms around him.

Adam pulls her on his lap and starts talking, spilling everything to this little nine year old who just called him her father. _Her father._

“I don’t understand Ronan sometimes. He loves me, I know that but he sometimes acts like I am the last thing he wants in his life. Lately, I feel unwanted and I have never felt that way here. I am not even angry. I just want to understand what’s going on. I want him to talk to me. We’ve been together more than a year now. We’re effing raising a child together and he refuses to communicate. I just want him to talk to me.”

Opal wipes away his tears and sighs.

“Don’t worry, Adam. He loves you. He’s coming home. He always does. Even when he says he hates me.” Opal coos.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope you love it as much as I do.

_**10 PM** _

It’ 10 o’clock at night when Adam hears the BMW in the driveway. He closes his textbook and gets up, pulling on a sweater. Making his way downstairs, he walks soft footed so as to not give away his presence. He stops at the landing and watches as Ronan hangs his coat and makes his way into the kitchen. He seems sober and unharmed, so that’s good.

 Adam follows him there and stops at the threshold. Ronan is making himself a cup of coffee. If Gansey came in now, he wouldn’t notice any tension in the air. It almost seems as if there is no tension in the air.  Almost. But then again Gansey is as oblivious as they come.

“It is getting creepy Parrish.” Ronan says without turning his way. Adam pushes against the wall and walks towards Ronan wrapping his arms around Ronan from behind.

“I am sorry.” Adam says, his voice muffled against Ronan’s sweater. From his position and experience Adam can pinpoint the exact moment Ronan tenses, relaxes and then tenses again and steps away.

It feels like a splash of cold water.

“Yeah I know. I am too.” Ronan says, taking his cup of coffee and going towards the living room, without meeting Adam’s eyes. Adam tired and tensed chooses the higher road and follows Ronan.

Ronan settles in front of the fireplace and wraps a blanket around himself. Adam smiles. He remembers this blanket.

_**1 YEAR AGO** _

_“You’re going to freeze to death Parrish. Not that it would matter. With the amount of reading you are doing, even your fucking corpse could pass the test.” Ronan said, smiling and handing Adam a cup of hot chocolate. Adam threw a withering glare his away._

_“Go away Ronan. I need to study. Like really-“_

_“really need to. You don’t get it Lynch. I want to go to COLLEGE. You know what that is?” Ronan completed, leaning into Adam’s shoulder. Adam laughed._

_“Fine stay. But you better behave.”_

_“What the fuck ever are you talking about? I always behave myself.” Ronan said, sipping his cup of coffee, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Adam rolled his eyes._

_15 minutes into the arrangement, Adam felt Ronan trace circles on his arm._

_“Hands off.”_

_“Fine whatever.” Ronan said, leaning into Adam’s neck. Instinctively, Adam tilted his head back, giving him better access. He could feel Ronan smile against his neck. Ronan ran his nose over his neck and Adam suppressed a shiver._

_Soon, the books were forgotten and Ronan was in Adam’s lap, his hands in Adam’s hair and his mouth against his. It was the first time Ronan had said ‘I love you’ and Adam had been thrown off. They had only been dating for 3 months and he had not expected it._

_He felt Ronan climb out of his lap when he didn’t say it back and he was sure that he had ruined it. Ruined it because his father had given him bruises instead of love and his mother had given him ice and frost instead of steady warmth. Ruined it because he was nothing but trailer trash and was not capable of love._

_He expected Ronan to walk away and ask him to do the same. He expected Ronan to be angry and go cold but instead Ronan fell to his knees in front of where Adam was sitting and took Adam’s hands to his mouth. He kissed his knuckles gently and kept muttering ‘I love you’ under his breath._

_It made Adam feel better and worse at the same time. He retracted his hand._

_“I am sorry.” He said, without looking in Ronan’s eyes. He felt Ronan laugh. Felt because when the dreamer laughed all the dream things around him danced to the beat. The air became a bit fresher, the things shiner and Adam’s life a bit better._

_“You don’t have to say it back shitface.” Ronan said, smile wide and eyes clinking. He got up and took the two empty mugs with him. “I am going to let you study. Shout for me, if you need me.” Ronan said, pecking him on his lips. Adam grinned back, elastic and amiable._

_He would be shouting all the time._

_Later that afternoon, Adam had woken up with a blanket around his body and the fire warm and blazing. He had probably (definitely) fallen asleep studying. He was surrounded by what was for sure a dream blanket, a warm fire, air that smelled like fresh farm soil and a house filled with love. For him._

_And it was then, cocooned in a dream blanket, that Adam had realized that he was completely and irrevocably in love with the dreamer._

_**PRESENT (11 PM)** _

Still in thought, Adam made his way to the couch and wormed his way into the blanket near Ronan. The blanket was soft and warm and alive with magic. _His_ dreamer’s magic. Adam laid down on the couch with his head on Ronan’s lap and his legs comfortably tucked in the blanket. He let out a peaceful sigh. As if on cue and due to instinct, Ronan’s hands found their way in Adam’s hair, swirling and twisting and brushing them in a way that made Adam want to combust. He was going to fix things.

They laid like that for a little while and Adam felt himself drifting off, edging on that thin line between consciousness and deliriousness. He felt his breathing evening out and his eyes drooping dangerously low.

Nope, no. Adam forced himself awake. He was not going to sleep. This was the first time this week that Ronan had shown any kind of affection, he was not going to sleep on it. Adam thought that if he were a cat, he would have been purring right now. This was good. Ronan and him snuggled together in front of the fireplace with comfortable silence between them was good.

However as all good things do, this too came to an end. Ronan sat up straighter and cleared his throat. An uneasy feeling spread in Adam’s lower abdomen; the feeling that for him was associated with tests and interviews.

_Here we go._  Adam thought sitting up, stealing the blankets to wrap around himself. For a second, Ronan halted and looked at Adam- the human burrito, and his face melted. Adam could see love for him and sadness for them etched in every line of Ronan’s face. Adam tensed. However the second was over and Ronan's practiced poker face fell into place.

“What’s it going to be like?” Ronan began, his hands twisting in each other and his eyes trained on the ground.

“What it’s going to be like when?” Adam asked, glad that Ronan was the one who had started it.

“When you land a fancy ass job in some far place with your lawyer degree and shit. It’s going to be hard and don’t shit me and say you will come back, Adam. I went to Declan’s fucking gala last weekend. Half of the doctors and lawyers and shit were divorced saying ‘work is wife enough’. I know how these things work. You are hungry for success Parrish, this” Ronan said, throwing a hand vaguely suggesting that he meant the barns, “is not what you will settle for when you see Manhattan and land jobs in New York. Whatever I have or will give you is not going to be enough for you.” Ronan looked Adam in the eyes and Adam noticed a wet sheen gleaming on his eyes. Before he could say otherwise, Ronan continued,

“I am never going to be enough for you. And it kills me. when you’re not here I start having fucking anxiety. Every time you leave that door, I wonder if you’re ever coming back. And it fucking kills me because-“ Ronan’s voice broke mirroring Adam’s heart “because I love you so much. It’s like this physical ache. I can feel it in my stomach and sometimes when you’re fucking standing there in the field with the sun fucking shining on your face and when you wrap your arms right here” Ronan indicated his abdomen, “it knocks the breath out of me. Because I don’t know how to deal with all that love. And even though I know you’re going to go, find someone better at someplace better, I can’t seem to get it. I tried, Parrish, I tried to stay away from you this week, tried to learn to live without you but I can’t because I don’t want to. I was fucking mad at you today and I took off, trying to be by myself, deal with shit by myself but even then, even when I am fuming and scared and sad, I ended up at St Agnes and it scares me.

So there’s what is wrong, Parrish. I love you too much.” Ronan said, a single tear slipping down his cheek.

If one tried hard enough, they could probably hear Adam’s heart breaking. Ronan let out a sob and rubbed his hands on his face. Adam scooted nearer and placed his hands on Ronan, drawing them away from his face and engulfing them in his own.

“Listen to me Ro, look at me.” Ronan’s wet eyes met his and Adam felt his own eyes water in response.

“Last week we had this assignment where we had to read ‘The Book thief’ and counter the concept that nothing treats you better than your blood family, as is done in the book and turn in a 3000 word essay. Mine was read aloud in class because it was the best. Do you know why it was the best?  Because I talked to about this.” Adam threw his hand indicating everything around them, “This place, the place you don’t think will be enough for me. I talked about you and your fucking tendency to wake up in the middle of the night to check whether there is enough water for all the animals and Opal’s habit of worming her way between us to sleep and Our traditional dinner and karaoke nights. I talked about how both of you have given me the only thing I ever truly wanted.  A family. You and Opal gave me a house full of love and made me realize that family is not equal to bruises and scars. I talked about how I could win the world but my world would always be you.

The night I wrote that essay was the worst night of my life. I broke down because never before had I realized how much you have given me and how much I have needed and wanted it. So that thing about not knowing how to handle loving someone so much, well guess what, I struggle with it every fucking day. So no, New York hasn’t got shit on what I have.” Adam hands were cupping Ronan’s wet face when he finished. He looked into Ronan’s eyes with all the concentration he could muster and very clearly said, “I love _you.”_

Ronan laughed a little and leaned his forehead against Adam’s.

“I am such an idiot.” Ronan said, wiping away their tears.

“You so are. “ Adam said feeling lighter than he had all week. “Also I have Chinese in the fridge and Stranger Things season 2 just aired an hour ago.”

“Yeah Parrish, talk dirty to me.” Ronan groaned and got up to get the Chinese out of the fridge. Adam got up, turned on Netflix on the TV and let out a laugh. He loved loved loved Ronan and he felt like he was on top of the world.

When Ronan came back, they snuggled on the couch with Adam’s head on Ronan’s chest.

“So you love me so that you get anxiety?” Adam asked, his mouth smirking and half full of noodles. Ronan groaned and his ears turned a dark shade of red. “And what was that ‘work is wife enough’ bullshit Lynch? You want to be my wife?”

“I swear to god Ada-” he was cut off my Adam’s mouth on his and he let out a deep groan. Pulling Adam onto his lap, Ronan thanked God and every power out there for making such a miracle of a boy.

They were however disrupted by the sound of hooves coming down the stairs. Ronan let out a string of curses and Adam climbed off Ronan’s lap to tuck into his side. Opal stood into the doorway, cocked her head and finding things to be alright, cracked a wide smile and said, loud and clear, “Gross.”

She climbed between the two of them and screamed, “KERAH! YOU STARTED ELEVEN WITHOUT ME. I HATE YOU.”

Ronan looked at Adam only to find him looking back and they laughed. Looking straight into Adam’s eye, Ronan said:

“Let’s begin again.”

 

**_7 AM (THE NEXT DAY)_ **

Adam groaned as sunlight hit his face and he buried his head further into the pillow. “Close the curtains Opal.” Adam said, his voice muffled by the pillow. There was no change in the state of the curtains. “Ronan, tell her to close the curtains.” Adam’s hand reached out to shake Ronan awake. His head was in the crook of Adam’s shoulder and his hand draped across Adam’s abdomen.

“Close the curtains, brat.” Ronan grumbled.

 The curtains closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my first fic ever and I loved writing it. I hope you guys liked it and if you did show me some love by leaving kudos and comments.  
> If you would like reading more fics. Let me know! I,for one, would love writing it!! ^_^

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys like it.  
> Follow me on tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/cindersage


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